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Bill

S 5884

Relates to establishing a crisis intervention team program

2025 Regular Session Introduced by George Borrello and 1 co-sponsor

Bill establishes crisis intervention team training program for New York first responders to use de-escalation and mental health awareness during emergency responses.

REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 5884

Legislative bill overview

S 5884 establishes a crisis intervention team (CIT) program in New York, which would create specialized training and response protocols for law enforcement and other first responders when dealing with individuals experiencing mental health crises. The bill aims to provide officers with de-escalation techniques and mental health awareness to improve outcomes during crisis situations.

Why is this important

Mental health crises currently consume significant police resources while often resulting in unnecessary arrests, hospitalizations, or dangerous confrontations. Specialized CIT programs have demonstrated in other jurisdictions the ability to reduce use of force, decrease arrests of people with mental illness, and divert individuals toward appropriate mental health services rather than the criminal justice system.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding and implementation costs - The bill's fiscal impact is unclear; establishing comprehensive CIT training and maintaining dedicated response teams requires sustained funding and staffing commitments that may strain municipal budgets
  • Scope and mandatory participation - Ambiguity exists around whether participation is voluntary or mandatory for departments, and which agencies (police, EMTs, mental health professionals) would be included in the program structure
  • Accountability and oversight mechanisms - The bill may lack clear standards for training quality, response protocols, data collection on outcomes, and accountability measures if the program underperforms or incidents occur

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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